Chayote, Yam and Fresh Clam Meat Soup

Why people make this soup

Come summer, the combination of high heat and heavy humidity puts the body under real strain. Nourilo particularly likes this soup because chayote is one of the mildest and most nutritionally well-rounded of the summer gourds — it is a good choice even for people who normally worry that gourd vegetables are too cooling for their constitution. Paired with yam and the distinctive umami of fresh clam meat, the soup comes out clear, savoury, and genuinely satisfying.

Traditionally, this combination is associated with helping the body manage heat and dampness — concepts in Chinese food-therapy referring to a state where the body retains fluids inappropriately and runs “too warm.” It is also considered supportive for the eyes. People who frequently experience a bitter taste in the mouth, dryness in the throat, or a sense of internal warmth tend to reach for soups like this in the warmer months.